Histamine release from mast cells and blood basophils is being studied as one of the immunological mechanisms involved in inflammation. It is also a model for cell secretion. Among the histamine releasing agents employed are IgE antibody, the anaphylatoxins, LHRH peptides, and the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Cultured rat basophilic leukemia cells are used as a model for the studies of the IgE receptor and of biochemical changes during cell activation. Large numbers of cells can be obtained for biochemical studies and biochemical variants have been selected which are defective at different sites in the pathway of cell activation and secretion.